Annual Report - Police Reform Programme

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Police Reform Programme (Phase-II) Two Range Consultations were held in Chittagong and Khulna, where approximately one hundred women police officers and a small number of male police officers were involved. The aim of the consultations was to help create professionalism, identify challenges faced by female officers in modern policing and to encourage better coordination between officers. Eight BPWN committees were formed, to manage local issues related to women police. The consultations created the opportunity for junior police officers and Constables to discuss their gender related problems with senior female officers. Output 5.3: Improved Victim Support The inauguration of the Victim Support Centre in Rangamati was the culmination of significant work by the Bangladesh Police and PRP in planning, constructing and making the new establishment operational. This new VSC will increase the geographical coverage of victim services across the Bangladesh's southern region. During 2012, two VSC provided services to 498 victims of whom fifty one were boys and 447 were women and girls. Among them, 34% were referred to NGOs for further services, 31% were reunited with their families, 12% were handed over to the court system and 11% were released from VSCs, as detailed in the following table: Services Provided by VSCs in 2012 Type of cases Dhaka Rangamati Total Missing 227 7 234 Cases Related to Sexual Assault, Trafficking, Dowry Related Violence 80 41 121 Other Cases (family problems, torture, early marriage etc.) 142 1 143 Total 449 49 498 Service provided by category Dhaka Rangamati Total Referred to NGOs 155 12 167 Returned to family 143 13 156 Released from VSCs 104 13 117 Handed over to the court system 47 11 58 Total 449 49 498 Refurbishment of the Women Police and Investigation Division, located in the Tejgaon Victim Support Centre, is now complete. During this period, the Women Support and Investigation Division received 303 cases for investigation under the Women and Repression Act, 2000, amended in 2003: seventy-three were related to rape, ninety-four to dowry related violence, sixteen to sexual harassment, 105 to abduction, nine to human trafficking, three to burning and three to abandonment. After investigation by female officers, a total of 180 charge sheets were issued, 93 final reports submitted and 29 cases classified as ongoing investigations. 32 Annual Report 2012
Police Reform Programme (Phase-II) The VSC database was completed and installed at Dhaka and Rangamati VSC. VSC staff began entering data at the end of December 2012. From early 2013, VSCs are expected to be able to manage their own records of all victims, including any other relevant information on services taken or receiving from VSCs. Six new VSCs are currently being constructed and are expected to be completed by 2013. The PRP National Project Director laid the foundation stone of the new VSCs in Rajshahi and Rangpur during Quarter 3 of 2012 and both sites are expected to be handed over to the Bangladesh Police by January 2013. The other four sites are expected to be handed over by June 2013. The third VSC Steering Committee Meeting was held in Rangamati on 31 December 2012 to ensure that the VSC is operating smoothly and effectively. The main discussion points included 2012's successful completion, case reviews and the extension of NGO services for the next year. NGO representatives have shown interest in working with the Bangladesh Police during the upcoming year. Additionally, a meeting held with the Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Finance on 26 December included a discussion on the Bangladesh Police's budget's operational cost in order to ensure sustainability. Relevant and interested officials were convinced of the importance of including victim support as a separate code within the budget due to a nationwide expansion of VSCs requiring efficient delivery of funds. A public consultation programme on 'The Role of VSCs in Addressing Violence against Women in Bangladesh' was organized by the Standing Committee on Women and Children Affairs on 13 December 2012 in the Bangladesh Parliament Committee Meeting Room. The participants consisted of Committee members and relevant VSC officers, with the latter exemplifying addressing VAW. On behalf of VSCs, Deputy Commissioner, Ms. Shamima Begum, presented a report on VSC activities. The Bangladesh Police established new partnerships with five NGOs in counselling, medical services, interpreting local languages and rehabilitation. This novel network was formalised by signing a Memorandum of Agreement among the Rangamati VSA, Bangladesh Mohila Parishad, Marie Stopes, Green Hill, Family Development Services and Research (Surjer Hashi Clinic) and Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST). A meeting held with the National Forum of Organizations Working with Disabled (NFOWD) aimed to improve police services to persons with disabilities. The PRP recommended holding a further meeting with NGOs that provide services to the disabled. In order to improve police responses to women and children with disabilities, two training programmes on the 'Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Bengali Sign Language Orientation' were organized in Dhaka from 27 to 29 November and 1 to 3 December 2012, attended by forty-eight participants from the Dhaka VSC and representatives of fifteen NGOs. The trainings were supported and sponsored by the Society of the Deaf and Sign Language Users. Annual Report 2012 33
Page 1: 2012 Government of the People's Rep
Page 4 and 5: Copyright @ 2012 By the United Nati
Page 6 and 7: Police Reform Programme (Phase-II)
Page 40 and 41: Section III: Financial Management
Page 52: Annex II News Articles
Page 62: Police Reform Programme (Phase-II)

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